Heating pads have been used for years to warm the body during cold weather and to help soothe sore muscles or joints after heavy work or exercise. Ice has also been used as a way of preventing inflammation and swelling of injured areas of a body. Recent developments in gel technology may have produced a gel pack that can be heated in a microwave oven, or cooled in a freezer. This type of pack, however, may have to be wrapped in a towel before use, as direct contact with the skin may cause injury to the user. Moreover, the gel packs do not provide lasting heat. Finally, the gel packs may crack or break open. Once the plastic container has failed, the gel pack is useless as the gel cannot be contained.
Besides gel packs, other traditional heating pads may also be available. These pads are typically powered by electricity and are not portable. Moreover, these pads cannot be chilled to provide cold therapy if such therapy is needed.
Furthermore, some packs may utilize grains as filler for heating devices. This type of filler may have drawbacks including the grain popping, cracking, and molding. This type of pack may be difficult to clean and may begin to emit odors after repeated use.
Furthermore, it may be difficult to coerce a child to utilize a thermal device when needed. What is needed is an organic filler for a washable pack that resists popping, cracking, and molding. Furthermore, what is needed is a thermal device a child would more likely utilize.